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I am #3 on the list for a 135i

I went to my local BMW dealer, the other day, to get a new cooler expansion tank for my x5. I stopped by the sales dept and spoke to a salesman about the 135i. Of course, they had no info what-so-ever about the car. Just the info on the BMW website. He guesses BMW will begin production in March of 08 and cars would start arriving in April.

Originally, I was just going to wait until the 135i arrive at dealers first. Then I can look at them and test drive one. I wanted to test drive a 335i couple just to get the feel of the engine. Salesman told me that there was a six month waiting list for the 335i couple. He said that they had a pimped out one, with chrome wheels, in the lot for me to test drive. When he went to get the keys, he found out it had been sold.

Anyway, salesman found a 335ia sedan without sport package, for me to test drive. He seems to know a lot more about BMW's than the average BMW Salesman. He said he was leasing an e90 328i cause he couldn't afford a 335i. He found a windy road on a hill and proceeded to haul[Oops!] up and down the street. I have to say that I was very impress with the car except for the slight body roll. When it was my turn to drive the car, I did not go nearly as fast as he did. Remember, he was a current owner of an e90. Also, I already like the way BMW's drive, especially with sport package. I wanted to feel the pull of the engine and compare it to the e46 M3 smg I just sold a couple months ago.

I have to say that I was very impressed with that engine. It pulled hard right off the line. The initial pull off the line felt harder than the m3, but of course, a m3 would pull harder as the rpm increased. I did not get to go very fast with the 335i due to traffic. I drove it enough to know that I want that engine. The salesman even turned off the DSC and told me to "just floor it" from a stop sign. Of course, it spun the tires without problem. I felt a very very slight hesitation from a dead stop. Salesman thought that it might be the valvetronics causing the hesitation, not the turbos.

Well, after driving the 335i, I decided to leave a small deposit in order to hold a spot on the list for me. Now, I just have to wait six months for the car.

Do they guarantee your price

I've never purchased a new BMW from dealership before. What's the current practice -- if you commit to the vehicle by leaving a deposit, do they also quote you a solid price that won't change much, thereby not getting blown away by buyer demand later on?

Or are you still up to "unknown" market forces that determine dealer invoice, selling point above it by the dealership, buyer bid-ups, etc.?

By putting my name on the list

and leaving a deposit, They told me that I would not pay above window sticker. There are no pricing on the 1 series yet. They had a 335i convertible in the show room which was marked $5000.00 above sticker. Also, I am not committed to buy. They would refund my deposit if I change my mind.

Very confusing indeed

So by taking noncommittal totally refundable money from anybody who happens to not care about earning the pittance of interest on a few hundred dollars for a few months (big deal), the dealership can set a cap on their own profits on a hot-selling vehicle?!

I would expect them to sigh a relief consistent with human nature whenever deposits are refunded. They can then mark up the window sticker by 5k, 6k, 7k as they please!

Unless, from reports of prospective buyers like you, that they do not have the nature of normal humans. But, chances are, I think there's actually some catch in that "window sticker" pricing. Or something.

It's only confusing because

you are an idiot. I guess you are one of those people thats walking around thinking someone is out to GET you.

Maybe I am just lying to you. Or, maybe, the dealer is lying to me.

That was exactly how it worked the last time I bought a new BMW. It was a 2001 540i. It was suppose to be hard to find at the time. I left a small deposit. They found the car. I went back to look at it. Decided to buy it. Same way my friend bought his New M3 a few years back. Neither of us paid above sticker.

No wonder there's so many car commercials

To believe that businesses, especially car dealerships, are out to limit their profits just to save you a buck is, of course, in your world, not idiotic. Therefore, to believe otherwise is to believe that "someone is out to get you."